


hug me close (i’ll travel miles)

by kireinayuta



Series: markmin coming of age [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Blow Jobs, Cute, Dates, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Making Out, Mentioned Huang Ren Jun, Mentioned Nakamoto Yuta, Mentioned Park Jisung (NCT), Mentioned Suh Youngho | Johnny, Mentioned Zhong Chen Le, Presents, Sleeping Together, Smut, kind of, references to the stars and greek mythology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:55:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26729263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kireinayuta/pseuds/kireinayuta
Summary: Jaemin finally gets to visit Mark for the first time in two months.The loveliest day follows.
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Lee Jeno, Mark Lee/Na Jaemin
Series: markmin coming of age [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1938829
Comments: 13
Kudos: 188





	hug me close (i’ll travel miles)

There's a familiar dig which presses into the side of his waist, and while he thinks it resembles fingers for the first second, he knows they're not fingers.

It's just Jeno's pencil.

"What?" He asks irritably, grabbing Jeno's pencil from him before he can use it to poke him again. "Why aren't you doing your work?"

"I'm just wondering," Jeno starts, grabbing a pen now instead and doodling onto his page. Half of it is filled with actual notes, while the other half is filled with sketches and different variations of Renjun with the last name 'Lee'. Jaemin thinks he's disgusting. "How often you change that thing."

For the first few seconds, Jaemin has no idea what Jeno is talking about.

But then, he remembers just where Jeno poked him (feeling a dull ache there and having a feeling that it'll bruise), and knows what he's asking about.

"I don't keep them on for more than a day," Jaemin answers, going back to reading through his textbook. He half hopes this is enough to satiate Jeno's curiosity for now, seeing as they're in a library and he really doesn't want to get kicked out for talking too much. "But how lovely of you to finally take an interest in my insulin pump, five years later."

Jeno all but snorts at Jaemin, and the latter admits that that wasn't the reaction he was expecting.

I mean, who does that?

Lee Jeno, that's who.

"Mark hyung wouldn't let anyone take an interest," Jeno mumbles, effectively gathering all of Jaemin's attention with a simple name. Jeno seems proud of that, if the smirk Jaemin sees in his peripheral is anything to go by. "He insisted that he was the only one who could take care of you."

Jaemin doesn't say anything immediately to Jeno's words, finding that he doesn't know what to say.

It's true that Mark always had a bone to pick when it came to him and his insulin pump, which in turn also leads him to have a bone to pick with his blood pressure and his blood sugar.

It's what a best friend does, he supposes, but now that he looks back at it, and especially now after the past few months where dynamics and relationships have changed between them, he sees how Mark wasn't just being his best friend.

Just like Jisung had said over the summer, it's always been more than just being best friends.

"Well, I think he was," Jaemin says after a while, returning to his work. "He was always gentle. And you and Renjun would forget how to do it, no offense."

"None taken," Jeno brushes off dreamily, and Jaemin doesn't even need to be looking at him to know he's thinking of Renjun now that Jaemin's mentioned his name.

And if studying with Jeno for the past few months has taught Jaemin anything, it's that any mention of Renjun usually leads to lengthy sulking and sad conversations about how—

"I miss him,"

Jaemin sighs internally, it was probably the fourth time they were having this conversation this week, but doesn't say anything.

He can't say he doesn't know the feeling, the feeling of missing your significant other every free second of the day you had. Sure, Jeno has two boyfriends, but that doesn't mean that the void of an entire person is diminished, especially when Jeno and Donghyuck are hanging out alone.

They've both told him that it was normally cold without Renjun, and while Jaemin would've rolled his eyes had this been six months ago, he decided to sympathize with them instead.

After all, he's found himself caught by them in his own fair share of brooding.

"I'm sure you do," Jaemin hums, trying to focus back onto work and not one of the only things he has in common with Jeno; a sort of long distance relationship.

Technically, they have a lot in common, they wouldn't have been friends otherwise, but these days, the only thing that really pops out is their relationship statuses.

It's also the thing that they talk the most about, for whatever reason, but it makes for an emotional conversation, so they decided to just fuck it.

"And his exams end after ours," he groans from Jaemin's right, and it's this part where he admits that he feels a pang of sympathy for Jeno, and extensively, Donghyuck.

At least Mark's exams end the same time his does.

But Renjun goes to a fancy arts school. And while it isn't as far as Mark's school, their time together is still limited because of just how demanding Renjun's program is. Jaemin doesn't even think he can count how many times he's seen Jeno and Donghyuck sitting in front of one of their laptops eating lunch with Renjun on a video call blown up on the screen, just so that they could share a meal together.

It makes Jaemin feel bad, but he admits that he'd have felt worse if he didn't do the same time sometimes.

Mark and Jaemin had a similar workload, but it was the timings that were weird. Even if Mark was a second year student, and Jaemin was a first, their schedules clashed a lot.

If they're lucky, they can video call and have lunch together maybe twice on weekdays, and perhaps call a little before going to sleep.

Texting throughout the day has also lost its charm, some of the messages going unread for hours at a time because of lectures.

Jaemin knows that Jeno, Donghyuck, and Renjun's relationship isn't any better.

"But you're heading down to visit next weekend, right?" Jaemin asks, trying to brighten Jeno's spirit.

He'd been talking, along with Donghyuck, about how the two of them would be finally going over to Renjun's to visit him for the first time since the term started. Their exams are done this week, Jeno's last one being in a few hours, but Renjun's end a week later, ending next Friday.

"I guess," Jeno mumbles, but Jaemin knows his efforts worked when he sees the little smile twitch the corner of his lips up. "Couldn't come by sooner. You're visiting hyung tomorrow, right?"

A giddy feeling of excitement washes over Jaemin as Jeno mentions his plans for the weekend, finding that he can't stop the automatic smile from coming onto his face.

Not that he wants to anyways. Talking about Mark was always an instant serotonin boast.

"Yeah," he confirms, nodding his head along with it. It'd be the first time he'd see Mark since the term started."We're meeting at lunch, he has some group project to work on for a bit in the morning."

Jeno hums to that, and Jaemin almost feels a little bad for talking about how he gets to visit his boyfriend while Jeno can't.

But then, there's an infuriating look which paints itself onto Jeno's face, something which lets Jaemin know that he's okay and back to normal.

"How did you survive these two months alone?" Jeno asks, decent enough to lower his voice to a whisper. Jaemin doesn't know what he's talking about for a few seconds, but then he sees the mischievous glint in his eyes and it suddenly all clicks into place. "At least I had Donghyuck with me. And Renjun isn't opposed to facetiming whenever—"

"Okay!" Jaemin squeaks, eager to cut Jeno off before he learns about things he has no interest in learning about when it comes to his friends' sex lives. "Jesus, don't you have any public decency?"

All Jeno does is shrug. "No one's listening to us. But really, what did you do? Go abstinent for two months?"

Jaemin can't help but hit Jeno hard on the arm when he asks such a personal question, and a part of him feels like he shouldn't even really be surprised.

Ever since their combined birthday party, where Jaemin turned eighteen and Mark turned nineteen, the jokes about their sex life have been nonstop.

Particularly from Jeno.

"If it really intrigues you that much," Jaemin huffs, choosing his words carefully to stave Jeno off. "We're not opposed to facetiming either."

For all of Jeno's curiosity, Jaemin's a little offended that he gets is a snort for a reaction.

"You guys are ridiculous," he says, and Jaemin rightfully feels a bit offended.

"You just said you do the same—"

"Hello, boyfriend number two and boyfriend number three,"

Like always, as of recently, Donghyuck comes prancing up to them out of nowhere before they can find themselves in a petty argument, seating himself on Jeno's lap when he greets them both.

Jaemin glares at Donghyuck simply for the fact that he at least has two thirds of his relationship with him.

Jaemin doesn't have anyone's lap to sit on.

"I'm not your boyfriend," Jaemin grumbles, acutely aware of how much PDA he'll be in the presence of now that Donghyuck has arrived.

"Yeah well," Donghyuck shrugs, not even looking at Jaemin as he continues to brush through Jeno's hair and smile at him. "You're compensation enough,"

Jaemin scoffs out loud at those words, not even hesitating as he begins to pack up his things.

He couldn't stand being in the presence of Jeno and Donghyuck when they were like this alone, and decides it'd be smarter if he can leave now before they do something else he wouldn't want to see.

They don't pay him much mind as he packs up, but Jaemin expected that much. As soon as Jaemin is out of his seat, Donghyuck comes off of Jeno's lap to sit there, waving goodbye to Jaemin halfheartedly as he continues his conversation with Jeno.

They are fools, he decides as he makes his way out of the library, mentally reminding himself to shoot Renjun a text about how mean his boyfriends are.

The crisp cool air of November hits him once he's out of the building, and just as he's taking out his earbuds and phone to listen to music on his way back home, he catches sight of the time displayed on the top of his screen.

It's already 5:30pm.

Which means Mark also just finished his Friday class.

He's more excited than what he thinks is normal as he makes his way to the train station, shoving his earbuds in his ears and excitedly pressing on his favourited contact name and pressing 'call'.

Jaemin waits anxiously for five seconds before the call connects, and he almost misses the last steps of the stairs when he hears the voice he's missed so much on the other line.

"Hello, Jaem,"

It's so simple, and Jaemin thinks it's because he hasn't heard Mark's voice in two days that makes his heart thump violently.

"Hyung," he calls happily, smile breaching his face despite knowing Mark can't see it. "How was your day?"

Jaemin has a bit of a feat making his way through the swarm of people, but that's expected at a time like this. Jaemin kind of curses himself for not sucking it up and just staying in the library with Jeno and Donghyuck until the rush hour had passed, but he thinks he would've left anyways when he saw that Mark would be available for a phone call.

"It was alright, got a lot of work done," Mark answers, and Jaemin picks up very easily that he sounds tired. "Probably gonna nap when I get home."

"Can we nap together?" Jaemin blurts out before thinking twice about it, becoming increasingly aware of how odd that sounds with each passing second after he's said it. He also tries to ignore the looks he gets from certain strangers who picked up on what he said, looking down and trying to hide his blush.

But none of that stops Mark from chuckling at the enthusiasm behind Jaemin's question.

"Yes, of course we can. I can stay awake until you're home," Mark says fondly, but there's still a teasing undertone to his words that Jaemin doesn't appreciate too much.

He's satisfied with Mark's answer though.

It had actually been something that Mark had started to do because he liked talking to Jaemin well into the late of the night, a time where Mark normally finds himself awake, and a time where Jaemin is normally long passed out.

Because of this, Jaemin has ended up falling asleep more times than he can count on calls with Mark, be it a video or a simple phone call.

It's because of those numerous times that he finds he likes falling asleep to Mark's voice talking about mundane things, likes the way he sounds when his voice turns a bit raspy from being up all day.

So naturally, Jaemin is now the one who asks if they can fall asleep together, and as embarrassingly cheesy as it is, Jaemin doesn't mind it at all when, sometimes, that's the only time he can get with Mark.

"We're still okay for tomorrow, yeah?" Jaemin asks, desperate to change the topic to something which doesn't make him blush like a schoolgirl.

"Mhm, I can't wait to finally kiss you baby,"

Simple phrases like this, though Jaemin wonders if it really is simple, turns his knees to jelly horrifically fast.

But he likes it, and he knows he does. He likes the unabashed way Mark talks about him, like he isn't afraid someone's going to overhear, like he doesn't care what anyone else has to think. It makes Jaemin feel just a bit more special every time something like this happens.

"Me too," Jaemin mumbles, pushing through the open doors of the subway train as he quickly scours the area for a seat. He's triumphant when he finds one, settling down into it quickly before someone else does. "Noon, right?"

"Noon's perfect," Mark's answer comes, and when Jaemin listens close enough, he notices that the sound of cars and traffic has died down on his end.

"Are you almost home?" Jaemin asks, just as he hears the telltale sound of Mark's keys jingling. His questions seems a bit redundant at that, but Mark still answers him.

"Yep, just walked up to the door," he says, but the rest of his sentence gets lost in the sound of his roommates greeting him.

"Tell Hendery and Yukhei that I say hi," Jaemin says, remembering Mark's roommates from the few times they'd invade their video calls.

They're relatively new friends of Mark's, two people he's met at the end of the last school year. They've hung out a few times over the summer, and for the sake of convenience, decided to get a place together.

"Absolutely not," Mark's scoffs, and Jaemin grins knowingly. "You know Hendery practically drools at the mere mention of you."

"Jealous, are you?" Jaemin teases, expecting the scoff he gets in return.

"When I haven't seen you in two months? Yeah, just a bit," Mark grunts, and the bluntness and unexpectedness of the answer makes Jaemin's heartbeat pick up.

"Shut up," Jaemin settles on grumbling, looking up to see if they've reached his station yet. "Tomorrow."

"Hm," he hums, and the background noise disappears once again, so Jaemin guesses Mark's in his room. "Tomorrow. How lovely."

Just as Mark says that, the train comes to a stop at Jaemin's desired station. He makes quick work of getting off, not wanting to be caught up in the sea of people again.

"Did you eat dinner yet?" Mark asks, and Jaemin just barely makes it out over the buzz of people around him.

He raises the volume of his phone before answering, making his way up the stairs and out of the subway station.

"Not yet," he sighs, already knowing what Mark's reaction to his answer will be.

Even miles away, Mark still finds a way to nag at him.

"Jaemin-ah," Mark drawls, and Jaemin only feels a little guilty when he hears the disappointment in his voice. "Every four hours baby, you had lunch early today." He chastises, making Jaemin frown.

"I know," he mumbles dejectedly, kicking a small pebble he sees on the path. "I'm sorry."

Mark sighs again, and Jaemin is glad he's almost home.

"Don't be upset Nana, I'm just worried. I'm not there with you anymore."

When Jaemin doesn't say anything for a few seconds, he hears some rustling on the other side of the line. For a brief moment, he thinks Mark is going to hang up on him, but he knows better so he pushes that thought away.

Instead, Mark proceeds to ask,

"What are you gonna cook, hm? We can facetime while you do," he says, the usual lightheartedness back in his voice.

"I don't want to keep you, you said you wanted to nap," Jaemin points out softly, turning a corner into his neighbourhood. It's quieter here, no more cars blazing by or the chatter of people around him.

"And you said you wanted to nap together. So it's alright," Mark assures, squashing down all of Jaemin's worries. "Now that it's mentioned, I could go for a snack too. We'll mukbang, isn't that nice?"

"It's not a mukbang if we're both eating," Jaemin mumbles, walking up the front steps to his house.

He still lives with his parents, solely for convenience sake. It's not like school was far, and it's not like he was rich. He doesn't mind it either, he likes the freedom that having an entire kitchen to your disposal has.

He's usually the first one home, and today isn't any different. His parents are both at work, so Jaemin relishes in being able to toss his bag by the floor for the time being. He makes a mental note to pick it up with him before either of his parents come home though.

"I'm home, can we facetime?" He asks, eager to get a look at Mark's face.

He hasn't physically seen him in two months, but he sees his face at least once a day. If there wasn't any time to video call, then Mark was considerate enough to send selfies of him throughout the day whenever he had time.

They were cute, little snippets of whatever he was doing, what clothes he was wearing, and what his hair looked like. For the mere appreciation, Jaemin always sent one back for every one he received.

Mark doesn't answer his question verbally, instead he gets an incoming facetime call.

Suddenly giddy all over again, Jaemin accepts the call immediately, and places Mark down on the counter, propped up against the salt shaker.

When the telltale sounds of the call connecting fills through the room, since Jaemin has taken his earbuds out thanks to the privacy of being alone, he looks up immediately to see Mark's face take up the entirety of his screen.

He's seen Mark's face all his life, has grown up next to that face. Has seen his cheeks lose their baby fat, has seen the moles on his cheekbones become darker, has seen his eyes remain the biggest features on his face.

He's seen it all, but he's still rendered speechless every time he looks.

Mark's tired face, which looks like he hadn't shaved in a day or two, his messy black hair and his wire framed circle glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose.

He looks so grown up, but the moles are still there, the eyes are still big, and his cheekbones are still killer.

It's all different and familiar at the same time, and Jaemin doesn't think he can ever get enough.

"There's my baby," Mark says happily when Jaemin finally comes into frame, dropping some food from the fridge onto the counter. "You look so cute today."

Jaemin remembers that this is also Mark's first time seeing him today, and curses himself for not fixing his appearance up before answering the call.

His hair is probably a mess, faded to the faintest shade of pink, and is probably sticking up in sorts of directions from constantly running his hands through it at the library. He also threw on the first thing he could find in the morning, which was a sweater Jisung left in his room after spilling pizza sauce on it.

The stain is still prominent near the neckline, Jaemin notices with a grimace.

"Mm, maybe I'll cover my clothes in pizza sauce more often," Jaemin deadpans, to which Mark only snorts. "You look really tired, hyung. You can go rest now, I really won't mind."

He feels just a little guilty thinking that he'd be keeping Mark up, especially since he knows they'll see each other tomorrow anyways. He's gone two months like this, what's one more day?

"I told you I don't mind, didn't I? I wasn't lying when I said I was hungry too," Mark brushes off, emphasizing his point by getting up and heading out into the kitchen. "What're you having?"

Jaemin eyes the things he took out from the fridge, not knowing what to do with them. He's a bit better at this, but seeing as he hadn't eaten in a while, his brain is a bit slower at processing his options.

But of course, he wouldn't tell Mark that, so instead he pretends to think about it to stall while he actually does think about it.

He admits he's too tired to make something complete, not having the energy. He also knows that they'll be having a late dinner when his parents come back home, so he settles on a simple ramen.

"Ramen," Jaemin answers, putting everything he didn't end up using back into the fridge. Which was practically everything. He didn't have the time or patience to start adding all the usual vegetables and meats he normally does, so for today, he'll settle on being boring. "What about you?"

"Well, there's this takeout box that's in the fridge, Hendery said it's free game, but it's been there for a while so I don't trust it," Mark says nonchalantly, as if it were something normal. Jaemin wouldn't put that past the three of them, honestly, if it was. "So I think I'll just have... An apple."

Jaemin stops what he's doing for a few seconds to look at Mark on the screen.

"An apple?" Jaemin deadpans, earning a sheepish look from Mark. If Mark pesters Jaemin about keeping his blood sugar at a normal level, then Jaemin is equally as bad with Mark eating adequately.

"With pretzels!" Mark tacks on to save himself, shaking the bag of salty snacks in front of the camera. "Maybe even a yogurt too, isn't that a lovely snack?"

Jaemin rolls his eyes, but can't help the fond smile which makes its way onto his face.

Mark is painfully adorable, for a nineteen year old.

"Quite lovely," the younger agrees, deciding to appease Mark for the time being. "But what'll your dinner be?"

Marks tells him about his plans after he wakes up, which Jaemin begrudgingly realizes is probably going to be at around 10:00pm, and what his roommates will be up to as well.

If Jaemin thought Mark was bad with his sleep schedule, then Hendery and Yukhei were on a different level.

"—But it's fine, because my group mates don't really want to stay working for long anyway. It's more out of obligation than anything else, just a check in to see who's where and what else we need to work on," Mark explains as Jaemin is done cooking his noodles. He has half the mind to keep his dishes in the sink, but knows he'll get in trouble for doing so.

He sighs as he washes the dishes, listening to Mark ramble on about how stupid he thinks this project is. Jaemin tries to give in his two cents, he really does, but it's hard to do so when it sounds like Mark is speaking a completely different language.

They never really did see eye to eye, academically.

"Anyways," Mark sighs after he's done his rant. "How's everyone else doing?"

"A bit more specific please," Jaemin says around a mouthful, watching smugly as Mark rolls his eyes.

"Start off with Chenle and Jisung. The most time I have with them is when they ask if I can play games online."

"Well, Jisung's fine, as per usual. He tries to make plans more often than not, seeing as he has a lot of free time. I try to hang out with him whenever I can, and when I can't, Jeno and Hyuck do," he says, thinking back on how their youngest friend is trying his best to keep all their ties strong.

He admires it, to some extent.

"Chenle's quite busy, he's graduating this year, as you know," he continues. "He said something about applying to the school you go to, so maybe you could talk to him about it."

"Yeah, he's mentioned it once or twice," Mark hums, munching on his pretzels. Jaemin forces himself to not let his mind steer in the wrong direction when he sees his boyfriend lick the salt away from his lips. "What about Jen, Hyuck, and Jun? How are they holding up?"

Jaemin sighs at the mention of the trio, already finding the weight of their situation pile onto his shoulders as he gets ready to recount the the whole thing to Mark.

"He practically cries every time I even mention Renjun's name," Jaemin says pitifully, leaning onto his palm halfway through his food. "I feel bad, I really do. Donghyuck is more subdued about the whole thing, but he could be faring off worse behind closed doors. I'm at least glad they have each other,"

Mark sympathizes, the same way Jaemin had in the library.

Jaemin didn't expect it, but by the time he's done telling Mark about their friends, the same time they're both done eating, they're both unbearably silent.

He has an assumption about what they're both thinking about, but he doesn't think he has the heart to say anything about it.

Thankfully though, Mark has always been the slightly bigger person.

"We won't... We won't end up like that," Mark says quietly, picking at the crumbs he's left on the counter. Jaemin wants to chastise him and tell him to clean up, but his voice is lost in his throat as he listens to Mark speak again. "And they won't either. We're alright, aren't we?"

He says it teasingly, like he already knows the answer to the question he asked. Jaemin wouldn't put it past Mark if he did already know, and even through the upwards quirk of Mark's lips, Jaemin can hear the small hint of genuineness behind the question.

"We're more than alright," Jaemin says honestly, softly, quietly.

It's not often their calls are held in the peace and quiet. If Jaemin was alone in his room, then Mark's roommates were being loud. If Mark managed to snag some quiet time alone in his room, then Jaemin was around the bustling of the city. Sometimes, in the wee hours of the night, they had all the time in the world. But that was when they were forced to be quiet, as to not wake anyone. For once, it was nice having a choice in the matter.

As he sees a real smile light up Mark's face at the words, he can't help but let his conscious tug at his heart for a second.

We're more than alright... But...

"... But I miss you a lot."

Mark's smile falters, and Jaemin wishes he had just bit his tongue.

They were seeing each other tomorrow anyways, he didn't have to make a big deal out of nothing right now. Mentally, Jaemin curses his brain to mouth filter.

"I miss you too," Mark sighs, finally looking back up from where he was invested into the crumbs he's left behind. "Every single day, from when I wake up to when I fall asleep."

The revelation both makes Jaemin feel better, and not at all. He feels the same way, but he wishes they didn't have to.

"Well, I'd sure hope so," Jaemin jokes, in hopes of lightening the atmosphere. "It'd be quite a blow, to know you didn't."

Mark laughs, and Jaemin feels lighter. Next time, he'll just choose his words carefully.

"Nap time?" Jaemin asks when he sees Mark get up, phone in one hand while the other is holding all his garbage. He too gets up with his phone in one hand and his bowl in the other. Again, he has half the mind to wash it, but he decides to let it soak in the sink instead and hopes for the best.

"Finally," Mark groans happily, and in the back of his mind, Jaemin thinks their conversation sounds absurd.

Jaemin doesn't bother changing out of the sweater he's wearing, instead changing out of his jeans and into cotton sleeping shorts instead. It's terribly cold in his room during the winter months, but he likes the feel of the cool sheets against his bare skin when he sleeps, so it's small enough sacrifice.

Jaemin manages to manoeuvre his phone into a propped up position somehow, getting under his blankets and pulling them right up to under his chin. When he gets a good look at his screen, he sees Mark has his phone in a similar setup.

All Jaemin can see is Mark's side profile, seeing as he likes to sleep on his back, and the blankets which he only brings up to his waist. In this moment, he'd give anything just to be able to lay down next to Mark, to share a blanket, and to trace the slope of his nose.

But that could all wait for tomorrow.

"Take a screenshot, you can look at it whenever you'd like," Mark snorts, briefly turning his head to glance at Jaemin. He's taken aback when he sees Jaemin's hands come out of the blanket. "Are you actually taking a screenshot?"

Jaemin frowns, and Mark sees his picture move a little bit, which means he did, definitely, just take a screenshot.

"You just told me to," he argues confusedly, blind to the slight flush on Mark's cheeks. "So that I can look at it later. I will. Look at it later, that is."

Mark shakes his head fondly, turning back to lay flat on his back as he stares at the ceiling.

Jaemin watches, like he always does. He watches the gentle rise and fall of Mark's chest, the way his eyes close, and the way his eyelashes touch the highs of his cheeks.

The way Jaemin looks at it, Mark is the most beautiful.

Sooner than he'd like, Jaemin watches as Mark's breathing levels out, as the muscles in his body relax.

Before Jaemin's eyes, he's fallen asleep.

Jaemin lets the tiniest of smiles onto his face at the sight of his boyfriend sleeping so peacefully.

"Goodnight, hyung," he whispers, thumb hovering over the 'hang up' button as he grabs his phone. "Dream of me."

And then, he hangs up.

<>

Morning couldn't have come sooner, but Jaemin guesses his tendencies to sleep in play a part in that.

It's already 10:20am by the time he wakes up, and he silently curses himself, as he slaps himself awake, for sleeping in so late. Especially today.

Jaemin has an hour and a half before he's supposed to be meeting Mark for the first time in two months at the address of the library the older boy sent him, but it's an hour there by train, and Jaemin hasn't washed his hair in three days.

He has no interest in bringing a head of greasy hair over to Mark's, and while he's hastily grabbing things for the bathroom, he praises himself for packing his overnight bag the night before.

It's with rushed movements, that Jaemin throws himself in the shower, brushing his teeth there too as he washes his hair and body. As much as he'd like to not miss the train, he doesn't want to halfheartedly take a shower.

Perhaps everything would've been easier if Jaemin set an alarm and woke up on time, but hey, everybody makes mistakes.

In a record fifteen minutes, Jaemin is out of the water and is now putting on lotion while attempting to tame his hair. While he would've preferred to dry it using a blow dryer, he has to settle for air drying his hair since he doesn't have the time.

Luckily, his clothes weren't a big feat, throwing on a casual blue button up tucked into his favourite pair of black skinny jeans.

With the tips of his hair still wet, Jaemin hops out of the bathroom and searches for socks, all while grabbing his charger, wallet, and phone.

Jaemin has half the mind to grab more than a granola bar as he hobbles down to the kitchen, especially because he knows Mark will chastise him about not eating properly, but that was something for future Jaemin to worry about.

All he does now is make sure he has patches and his blood sugar measuring device with him, before yelling out a goodbye to his parents, which elicits a hindering three minute talk, before he's stepping out the door and into the crisp air of a November morning.

Jaemin looks down at the time on his phone and alarmingly realizes that his train leaves in fifteen minutes.

It was a fifteen minute walk to the station itself, and he curses himself for the nth time this morning as he starts running, ignoring the looks he gets from the elderly women enjoying a walk, or the kids who look at him with disdain.

He has more important things to focus on, rather than the judgement of strangers.

Like how he's right across the street from the stairs leading down into the subway station, when there's only four minutes to spare.

He's incredibly impatient as he waits for the signal light to turn green, but once it does, he books it across the street and runs down the stairs, grateful he knows exactly which platform the train he's boarding is.

When there's a mere minute before the doors close, Jaemin manages to slip through behind one of the last people to get on, and feels relief flood through his system when he realizes that everything can resume according to the usual schedule.

It's also then that he realizes there's an irritating stitch right under his right set of ribs.

Wincing, and noting disappointingly that there are no seats available, Jaemin leans against a railing for support as he massages his side. His hand occasionally pushes too hard into the patches he has stuck onto the skin there, which makes him wince and grumble irritably under his breath.

When his breathing has calmed down and has come back to its normal speed, Jaemin fishes out his poor excuse of a breakfast and begins eating, looking around so that his mind has something to do.

It doesn't take long for him to get bored and take his phone out too, deciding to sacrifice his phone bill in the name of using his data and continuing to watch the Netflix show he's been bingeing this past week.

He's relatively tired when a seat opens up, and he makes sure to snatch it before anyone else can. He does pay mind to make sure there wasn't anyone who was in immediate need of a seat though before sitting down, which makes him lean back comfortably as he sees that he's fine.

They're halfway there until Jaemin's stop, and while he's still tired from his hectic morning, the excitement thrumming in his veins is more than enough to keep him awake. He tries to continue watching his show, for the remainder of the train ride, but finds it impossible to when his thoughts keep drifting to Mark.

Jaemin finally decides to settle on listening to music instead, drumming his fingers on his thigh as he watches them pass stop after stop.

It's 11:45am by the time they reach the stop Jaemin is supposed to get off on, and when he sees the advertising sign Mark told him to look out for to make sure he's at the right place, he smiles.

It's now only a matter of minutes before he gets to see Mark again.

Jaemin queues up Google Maps on his phone, plugging in his current address and the address Mark had sent him. They planned to meet outside of the library when Mark's group meeting had ended, seeing as the older boy has his car with him and everything.

He listening intently to the directions the robotic voice says into his ears, not eager on losing direction in his haste and excitement. He was already so close right now, he wasn't keen on making either of them wait any longer than they already have.

Like most times, Mark was there first.

Jaemin sees him from where he's walking, sees Mark clad in a pair of light washed jeans and a hoodie Jaemin remembers giving him for his birthday a few years ago.

Mark is looking at his phone every two seconds, and by the way he can't stop moving, Jaemin guesses he's as nervous and excited as he is.

Jaemin makes sure to calculate his steps carefully so that he doesn't come into Mark field of view, not until he's around thirty steps away and decides to break into a run, seeing Mark's startled face for all of half a second before he's wrapping his arms around him in a hug.

It feels so good, to be able to have Mark's familiar frame in his arms again, to be able to sniff his shampoo again. It's like a slice of heaven, when Mark's arms tighten around Jaemin too, when he feels the older boy's hot breath hit his ear.

In a way, it feels like coming home.

"Jaemin," Mark breathes out, squeezing him tight once more before letting his hands run down his back and around his waist, where he's missed letting them rest. "Holy shit, you're really here."

Mark's surprise, despite having known this day would come for weeks, makes Jaemin laugh. It's a sound that makes Mark's heart melt, along with litter his eyes with stars. He's missed the sound of Jaemin's laugh, so loud and right in his face. It sounds even better because he can feel the vibrations of the younger's chest from where they're still pressed flush against each other.

He can't help it anymore— He's waited two months and he wasn't interested in waiting any longer.

Jaemin leans in and kisses him, hard on the mouth and right over his smile.

Mark doesn't waste any time in responding to the kiss, pulling Jaemin closer by the waist as he tilts his head and lets Jaemin pull on the hair at his nape.

He's waited months for this kiss, the same way he's waited years for his first.

And just like the first time, Mark doesn't disappoint.

"I'm here," Jaemin mumbles when they finally pull away to breathe, foreheads presses against each other's. "Finally. Happily. Coldly. It's a bit chilly, don't you think?"

Mark laughs right in his face at that, and Jaemin instantly feels warmer. But he doesn't tell Mark that, he has a feeling the other would kick him for it.

"Come on, I'll turn the heater on in the car," Mark says, sliding his hand down Jaemin's arm until he grabs ahold of one of his hands. "Not too far from here."

Jaemin squeezes his hand probably longer than he needs to, but he just has to get the shape of Mark's fingers molded into his hand if he wants to survive until Christmas before seeing him.

And anyways, Mark doesn't seem to mind. In fact, it looks like he's doing his own memorization, running his thumb along all the veins and knuckles on the back of Jaemin's hand.

"Did you eat?" Mark asks eventually, like Jaemin knew he would at one point.

Just like always, Jaemin has to disappoint Mark a little with his answer.

"A granola bar?" He answers sheepishly, shrugging his shoulders at the icy glare Mark shoots him. "I was in a rush, okay? I overslept this morning."

Mark's expression softens at that revelation, and Jaemin kind of wonders if this is all it'll always take to get Mark off of his case. He doesn't get to finish that thought though, because they've mad it to Mark's car already.

As he makes his way in, his shoulders relax into the familiarity of the leather seats. He's spent more hours than he could count in this car, road trips with friends and even dates with Mark. All throughout the day or into the late of the night, Jaemin has way too many memories from the confinements of the car.

Like he said, Mark turns on the heating as soon as they're both in the car. Jaemin goes to put on his seatbelt, but he can't even grab onto the thing before Mark is pulling him in with a hand on the back of his head.

Jaemin lets out a gasp of surprise, immediately melting into the kiss when he realizes it's happening.

This time, Jaemin is the one who tilts his head to the side so that he can deepen their kiss, and he almost moans at the feeling and taste of Mark's tongue slipping into his mouth after months.

He doesn't know how long they stay kissing like that, but it doesn't take long before his body temperature also rises, creating an almost unbearable hot atmosphere in the car. So much so, that Mark pulls away only for a few seconds, just to take his hoodie off. He tosses it somewhere in the back seats, and dives back into Jaemin's lips.

"You missed me," Jaemin sighs contently when Mark's kisses move to his cheeks. "You really missed me." This time, he lets his head fall to the side when Mark kisses down his neck.

"Every damn day," Mark mutters into his skin, kissing as much as he could before coming back to his lips. "It feels like a dream, having you with me now."

Jaemin smiles at Mark's words, finding it hard to kiss now that they're both smiling. Their teeth clash, their lips don't meet, and they're laughing too much.

But it all feels perfect, so Jaemin doesn't bother stoping.

That doesn't mean something else doesn't stop them though.

Mark's stomach let's out a sound that's equivalent to those a whale makes a few minutes later, something which immediately has Jaemin bursting out in laughter. 

"You can't be mad at me for not eating breakfast when it seem like you haven't either," Jaemin chastises, smoothing the fabric of Mark's shirts from where he'd been gripping onto it.

"Well, I'm not the one who'll drop dead on my feet if I go too long without something," Mark fires back, making Jaemin roll his eyes. "Speaking of, did you bring your—"

"I brought absolutely everything," Jaemin cuts off, easing Mark's furrowed eyebrows instantly. Sometimes, he thinks that Mark is more concerned about these things than Jaemin is, but he also finds that quite adorable, so he doesn't mind too much.

"Good. Now, pizza? Or pasta?"

"Pasta," Jaemin smiles, grabbing Mark's hand over the center console as he starts to drive. He hasn't been able to hold Mark's hand in months, he wasn't going to let go any time soon. And Mark doesn't seem to mind either, this thumb running over Jaemin's knuckles as he pulls up his phone's playlist.

Driving to their lunch destination consists of more fun Jaemin has had since the summer, with them belting out lyrics to their favourite songs and laughing whenever one of them can't reach the high note.

Jaemin wouldn't say it to Mark's face, not yet, but he loves his singing voice. Mark could put him to sleep with his singing, and he wouldn't mind at all.

Once they're arrived at the bustling, and mostly student packed, restaurant Mark chose, they get a table in a quieter part of the room. The lights are kind of dim, and the soft music is almost completely lost through the numerous conversations.

But sitting face to face with Mark, with their ankles locked underneath the table, and the low lights casting shadows upon his devastatingly handsome face, Jaemin wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Times like this remind him of the dates they used to have almost every other day during the summer, when they knew their days were limited, and that they were facing a countdown each day.

Today is similar, but they don't let the inevitable loom over their heads.

Not when Mark almost spills his glass of water because his arms flail too much when he laughs, when Jaemin gets pasta sauce on his cheek, or even when they both go the grab the bill before settling on splitting it.

<>

When they leave the restaurant, Jaemin's eyes squint as he takes a while to adjust to the lighting change.

There aren't too many people outside in the area they're in. Mark had explained it as a 'downtown type area' that wasn't actually located downtown. They're mainly shops, cafés, and restaurants that are popular amongst students, which is why Mark said it's more busy at night.

But now, at only half past one, it's not too crowded.

"I want to take you somewhere," Mark says as they walk down the sidewalk, Jaemin's eyes glued to all the different shops they pass by. "Every time I see this place, I think of you."

Jaemin's heart thumps ridiculously at the revelation, thinking back to the many movies, the many shops, the many food dishes he's eaten, and how he solely thought of Mark.

"So I live in your mind rent free, huh?" Jaemin teases, swinging their hands between them . The giddy feeling he's had in the first few weeks of their relationship comes crashing back onto him, and he wonders if Mark will simply always make him feel like a schoolgirl with a crush.

Not that he's complaining.

"Yes, that's exactly it. Start paying up, lover boy," Mark agrees, shoving Jaemin gently with his shoulder.

"Lover boy," Jaemin murmurs under his breath, a smile grazing his lips subconsciously.

Mark pulls into a dainty looking shop after that, where the lights are bright, and the displays are all protected in glass casings.

It's a jewellery store.

Jaemin wants to ask what they're doing here, but he doesn't get the chance to before Mark tightens his hold on his hand drags him to a display near the back of the store. An employee greets them kindly when they pass, and Jaemin smiles in return before Mark takes all his attention away with speaking.

"I've been here a few times," he starts, eyes scanning through the shelves as he looks for something. "Yuta comes here a lot. He's big on jewellery, you know? Necklaces, bracelets, rings, and all of that. You should meet him, you two would get along. Sometimes Hendery comes here too, but he just likes to browse. I think he's getting his ears pierced soon anyways though."

Jaemin listens intently to Mark's story, always eager to learn more about how he spends his time here, when he isn't in school. He likes the little anecdotes, because sometimes it feels like he's there with Mark.

He can hope, right?

"This one," Mark sighs softly, his eyes finally trained on a necklace. Jaemin looks over Mark's shoulder to see what it is, and his eyes widen a bit at the beauty of it.

It's more of a pendant, actually, it's a shiny silver, something which blinds him temporarily. The pendant is spindled into the shape of a dragon, around the length of half of his thumb. The dragon is sparkly, a few diamonds encrusted into the pendant, with wisps of silver mimicking the bodily spikes of the dragon.

"It makes me think of you," Mark says after a while of silent observing. Jaemin is about to ask why, but Mark explains without any further prompting. "There's a constellation in the sky. It's named Draco—"

"From Harry Potter?" Jaemin mumbles, effectively cutting Mark's off and earning a snort from the older boy.

"The constellation came before the character, Nana," he says fondly, and Jaemin is a bit embarrassed. Obviously the constellation came before the character...

"Anyways, Draco is Latin for 'the dragon.' The dragon's name is Ladon, and he's the dragon that guarded the gardens of the Hesperides."

"Mark, this isn't history class," Jaemin mumbles, despite being awfully endeared by everything Mark is saying. He's put thought into this, it seems, the dragon, Ladon, reminding him of Jaemin for a reason.

"Maybe not, but don't you guard my garden?"

"Your garden...?" Jaemin repeats confusedly.

"My heart, you idiot," Mark sighs, shoving Jaemin's shoulder again exasperatedly.

Jaemin blinks.

And then he feels heat rush up to his cheeks.

"Your heart..." Jaemin mumbles, looking between the pendant and Mark. "Your garden..."

"Yes, dummy. My heart, my garden. My most precious organ. The thing I'll die without," Mark emphasizes, tone teasing, but eyes are sincere.

"You could've just said that," Jaemin whines, thoroughly embarrassed with how stupid he sounded. "All this constellation stuff confused me."

"Why would I say it a different way? You're my star, Jaemin-ah,"

"Oh my God," Jaemin panics, looking over his shoulder to see if anyone had heard what Mark has just said. It's normally his job to render Mark useless, red, and flustered in public, not the other way around.

But Jaemin can't help but be rendered speechless by Mark's sincere feelings and words, but that doesn't mean he knows how to respond.

"Speechless, huh?" Mark smirks, looking around Jaemin for a moment to wave a sales associate down. "Guess I've had time to practice flirting."

Jaemin registers what Mark said too late, wondering just what he means by practice, because the sales associate is now behind them before Jaemin can ask.

"This one, please," Mark says kindly, pointing towards the dragon pendant. "I'll take it."

And then, alarm bells are ringing in Jaemin's head.

"Hyung—"

"Pretty packaging please," he tacks on to the associate who's headed to the back of the store. "It's a rather special gift."

Mark looks smug when he looks back at Jaemin, but the expression gets a little lost when he sees the guilt on Jaemin's face.

"Don't do any of that," Mark sighs, running his thumb down Jaemin's cheek. "Gifts are nothing uncommon, and I need you to know how I feel everyday we're not together. Besides, I've wanted to buy you this since I saw it."

Jaemin huffs, turning his head to look out the window and see the outside.

"You know, most people call their boyfriends cuter things," Jaemin says after a while, hoping to ease the slight tension. It seems to work when Mark's shoulders relax again. "Like the Sun, or the Moon. Sometimes even puppies and bunnies."

Mark grins, and hums, but shrugs his shoulders at the end.

"I'm not cute, and you're not the Sun or Moon. You're my dragon star."

Jaemin admits that it's unique, and decides he can't argue when his heart thumps at Mark's name for him.

Dragon star.

Jaemin can't get another word out before the sales associate comes back into the front of the store, a pale pink box wrapped in silver ribbon in her hand.

It is pretty packaging.

Jaemin doesn't stand next to Mark when he goes to pay, staying content with not knowing the price.

Now though, Jaemin keeps a sharper eye out for any other shops as they continue to walk, eager to buy Mark something to show his gratitude as well. He knows it isn't necessary, and that Mark isn't expecting anything from him, but after the whole show Mark put on about his feelings, he needs Mark to know just how reciprocated they are.

Even if it is in the form of pulling Mark into an antique boutique.

It's awfully random, an antique boutique in the bustle of everything, but he's glad it's here. Jaemin keeps their fingers laced as he scours the shelves, intrigued by even the littlest item he sees.

But he's here for a reason, and it isn't to browse.

He lets Mark browse though, after the older boy lets him know that he doesn't come to this shop often, unless it's with Johnny. He likes vintage and old things, but they haven't been able to hang out recently, so it's been a while since he's admired all these trinkets.

Jaemin lets him look around, finally splitting up since it gives him the perfect opportunity to look for something for him.

It does take a while, but once his eyes land on a chunky looking stainless steel ring, with what looks like a small dragon engraved into the circumference,

It couldn't be any more perfect.

Jaemin quickly tries it on on his thumb, knowing that he and Mark are the same ring size. Much to his relief, the ring fits.

Jaemin makes sure that Mark isn't looking when he makes his way to quickly pay at the counter, a bit disappointed when they say they don't have gift bags. But Jaemin guesses that's more ideal, seeing as he can hide the ring in his pocket until it's time to give it to Mark.

"Ready to head out?" Mark asks just as Jaemin pretends to be looking at a tea set. "I have one more place I wanna show you before we head to my place."

Jaemin nods his head with a smile, hopping over to Mark while throwing a smile to the employee who rang him up. They intertwine their fingers again as they leave, and this time Mark steers them in a definite direction.

It's still in the opposite direction from where the restaurant was, and Jaemin wonders where they're going when he notices the number of shops start to decrease.

The sun still shines bright over them, almost 3:00pm when Jaemin finally sees where Mark was taking them.

It's like a little town square, a square water pad in the middle, with streams of water flowing in different patterns on each side. There are a few benches and tables around the square, where Jaemin sees students studying, some on dates, and even a few little kids.

"It's so peaceful here," Jaemin comments, following Mark towards a bench. Although it was still a public place, it wasn't as loud as he thought it'd be. People talk in hushed voices, presumably wanting to keep the quaint and stress-less atmosphere.

Jaemin appreciates it, especially when Mark leads his head down gently onto his shoulder.

"I come here to do homework sometimes, when the weather is nice," Mark explains in a hushed voice, fiddling with Jaemin's hand in his own two. "And I always think of you when I do. It just felt like somewhere you'd like to be."

Briefly, and in his head, Jaemin wonders if he's just so easy to read, or if Mark puts in the time to know all these things about him. It's thoughts like that that lead him to remember that they've been best friends for all their lives, and that it really is no surprise that Mark knows all these little things about him.

Everything is just one hundred times more endearing now that he knows about the feelings and sincerity behind all of Mark's words when he admits these things, and it makes him want to kiss him silly every time.

Maybe he would've, if they weren't in such a public place, and if his head didn't feel so comfortably pillowed on Mark's shoulder.

He's missed the broad and sturdy weight of his shoulders, always finding himself resting his head there when he feels too tired.

He's missed everything about Mark, and it feels like he's reliving all the sensations which make him buzz with his unadulterated, burning affection for his boyfriend.

But he's 99.9% that Mark is feeling the same way, so there's nothing in him complaining.

"It is somewhere I'd like to be," Jaemin confirms, voice equally as hushed. The sun is warm over them, and the wind is a little chilling, but with their bodies pressed side by side, Jaemin feels like he could be here like this for hours.

And so they do.

Except it's actually only one hour, but it's a peaceful hour.

Sometimes, Mark makes murmured comments about people passing by, and it makes Jaemin laugh quietly into his neck. He feels a little bad for it later, but he's quickly assured by the way Mark puts an arm over his shoulder and tells him it's all in good nature.

As the hour ticks by, it becomes a bit chillier, the wind picking up a bite and the sun becoming dimmer in the sky. Not by much, but enough for Mark to rub Jaemin's shoulder and lift his head up.

"Come on, let's get home before it gets too cold," he advises, beginning to stand up.

He doesn't make it far before Jaemin grabs him by the neckline of his hoodie, pulling him in for a quick and soft kiss. It shocks Mark for a few seconds, but he's quick to reciprocate and kiss him back.

"This place is lovely. We should come back here," Jaemin whispers when they part, his lips brushing against Mark's.

A breeze that gusts by makes him shiver.

"We will," Mark assures, smiling gently and pecking his lips once more. "But for now, let's head to my place?"

The prospect of being alone with Mark, finally, makes Jaemin way more excited than he needs to be. Either way, he nods his head and lets Mark pull him up.

They walk all the way back to where Mark had parked his car, and it takes a whopping twenty minutes. By this time, the air becomes actually cold, and Jaemin finds himself pressing closer to warmth now instead of simply wanting to. He made the mistake of not bringing a hoodie with him, and his backpack is all the way back in Mark's car.

"You're cold," Mark notes after a while, clicking his tongue at the way Jaemin shivers every few seconds.

"Just a bit," the younger mumbles, finding no point in lying to his boyfriend. It's not like Mark was wrong anyways.

"You're terrible at planning accordingly," Mark sighs, immediately moving to remove his hoodie.

"Hyung, you'll be cold," Jaemin protests, shaking his head even as Mark is already handing Jaemin the hoodie. "Seriously, I have something in the car."

"And until then, you can wear my sweater," Mark insists, practically manhandling Jaemin into the clothing when he the latter still doesn't make a move to accept it.

"Thank you," Jaemin mumbles, a pout laying on his pretty lips as they finish the trek to Mark's car.

Mark immediately turns the heater on when they're inside, and Jaemin burrows himself in Mark's hoodie, looking at the older boy apologetically when he doesn't make a move to take it off and return it back.

But Mark isn't surprised, and just rolls his eyes amusedly before putting his seatbelt on and starting to back out of his parking space.

"Yukhei went grocery shopping yesterday," Mark comments, reaching across the console to grab Jaemin's hand again. Mark seems to not be able to do anything without holding his hand, not that he's complaining though. "We can make dinner."

"Is this just your way of saying you want me to cook for you?" Jaemin teases, though he doubts how much teasing it actually is when it's partially true. "You could've just said that. It's not like I would've said no. You were my number one taste tester," he grins, catching the side glance Mark sends his way before looking back at the road.

"Good. That's exactly what I want. I've terribly missed eating your cooking."

Jaemin and Mark brainstorm different dishes they could cook based off of what Mark has in the kitchen, and they settle on something simple before they even arrive. When Jaemin thinks back on it, he remembers the dish being one of the very first items he's cooked for Mark, and it makes him wonder if the older boy was strategic with what he picked, or if it was purely coincidence.

With Mark, it was often hard to tell. It could be either or. Anyway though, Jaemin doesn't mind.

The only thing on his mind is getting to be in the kitchen together again, reminiscing all the times Mark would've come over after school and helped Jaemin stress bake cupcakes, or when Mark came over around Christmas time to make cookies.

It also makes him think of when their entire friend group would hang out, and when Jaemin had been responsible in the food department for the day. He and and Mark would end up leaving for an hour or so to do groceries, just to come back and start cooking.

Their friends would call them 'Mom' and 'Dad' at that point, and there was a point in time where Jaemin wouldn't vehemently denied that and fake puked in his mouth. Now though, he can't help but think that their friends were onto something when they said that. Specifically Jeno and Chenle.

Mark and Jaemin make it to Mark's apartment at almost 5:00pm, which gives them enough time to make dinner.

Jaemin has never seen Mark's apartment in person, only through his phone screen on facetime, or through little videos and pictures Mark sends him.

From the outside, it looks like the entire building houses students, and Jaemin wouldn't be too surprised if it did; the location was quite convenient. There are also a lot of trees surrounding the property, which makes everything look more comforting and calm.

Mark explains things as what they are and what areas there are as they walk inside, passing by trees and little benches, maybe even some big stones and vases. As they walk past the receptionist's desk towards the elevators, Mark greets her by name politely, the same way she waves back at him enthusiastically, the handheld phone between her cheek and her shoulder.

"If I'm lucky, Hendery and Yukhei aren't home yet," Mark jokes, but some part of Jaemin thinks that Mark isn't really joking.

He admits, alone time would be amazing, but he'd also like to meet Mark's roommates. After seeing them exclusively on facetime, and laughing at their jokes, Jaemin would like to actually meet the men behind the humour.

"I think today is my lucky day," Mark mumbles as they walk in, preening his ears for any voices. When he doesn't hear anything, a wide grin splits onto his face, and he pulls Jaemin in immediately right after.

He's impatient as he takes Jaemin backpack off of his shoulders for him, and pushes him back against the nearest wall.

"You can wait a bit, can't you babe?" Mark asks, but doesn't even give Jaemin time to answer before he kisses him harshly.

"Mhm," Jaemin whimpers, nodding his head frantically as he gets used to the overwhelming feeling of Mark's tongue roaming around his mouth. "Can wait."

Jaemin can feel Mark grin against his lips, but the feeling is gone as quick as it had come, now with one of Mark's hands holding his throat as he lavishes his lips, like he's been wanting to for months.

"I missed you," the older boy mumbles for the nth time today, trailing soft and slow kisses across Jaemin's cheeks and down his jaw. "The way you taste, the way you smell, the way you feel."

Jaemin makes a strangled sound at that, something he's embarrassed by. He never used to be, but maybe it's because it's been so long since he's been intimate with Mark.

Jaemin's own hands find their way to grip onto the other's shoulders, fingertips digging into the skin there when he feels the sensations Mark gives him border on being too much. Like when he puts a leg between his own, or when his grip tightens on his waist.

Jaemin is breathless against Mark, panting into the other's mouth as he tries to commit every crevice and indent of Mark's mouth to memory. He's almost there, mapping out the entirety of his mouth, when the door opening next to them startles the living daylights out of him.

He squeaks, be it involuntarily or not, and blushes immediately when he sees two familiar boys walking in through the front door.

"My, oh my," Hendery smiles, looking at the two of them. Mark looks ready to kill, while Jaemin is terribly embarrassed. "The man, the myth, the legend himself—"

"Hendery, you're scaring him," Yukhei laughs from behind the other, pulling him back by the shoulder. "Hi Jaemin, nice to meet you."

Jaemin can't find his voice, so he settles in nodding to Yukhei and hoping he understands that he can't speak through his mortification.

"Why are you two home so early?" Mark asks, stepping back from Jaemin and fixing both of their appearances.

Jaemin's hands fly to his hair to tame it.

"Why not?" Hendery teases, ever so insufferable as he walks farther into the apartment. He stops by the kitchen as he catches sight of the empty countertops. "What's for dinner, Mark?"

"Well, I don't know what's for your dinner, but—"

"I don't mind!" Jaemin immediately cuts off, not looking forward to the awkward argument that would arise if Mark finished his sentence. "I'll make dinner. For all of us," he says, emphasizing the second half of what he said so that Mark would know not to question it.

And thankfully, he doesn't.

"Made by Na Jaemin?" Hendery asks with a smile, looking Jaemin up and down. "Oh how exciting. I'm honoured."

"Eyes off Mark's prize, Dery," Yukhei snorts, pulling Hendery away with a hand on the younger's shoulder. "Let's leave them be, it's been a while."

Jaemin can tell it's with reluctance, but Hendery follows Yukhei as they walk away, leaving him and Mark alone again.

"I'll kill him," Mark grumbles once the other two are out of earshot, and it makes Jaemin grin a little as he shoves Mark's shoulder.

Jaemin pushes him off if the wall, brushing himself off before walking into the kitchen with Mark in tow.

"He's alright," Jaemin dismisses, watching patiently as Mark brings everything they'll need out of the fridge and cabinets. "Just... A lot."

"He always asks about you when I mention your name," Mark continues to grumble, and Jaemin finds the pout which subconsciously made its way onto the other's face extremely cute. "Jaemin this, and Jaemin that. As if he doesn't have girls and guys alike lining up to have a chance with him."

Jaemin only shakes his head fondly, enjoying Mark's jealously while he can. He starts prepping their dinner, all while listening to Mark go off on a tangent about how Hendery needed to find someone who could satisfy his needs before he drove Mark crazy with his constant inquiries about Jaemin.

Below the surface, Jaemin is flattered at Hendery's interest. It provides a lovely source of entertainment too.

Mark starts playing a playlist from his phone, something soft which makes him bounce around the kitchen.

Jaemin has missed seeing Mark bounce around when they were cooking together, how he’d end up spilling something on the floor in his haste and cursing in English before cleaning up. Or the way Mark would look at a task Jaemin asked him to do confusedly, before Jaemin laughs at him and calmly explains what it is he has to do.

All in all, Jaemin has missed Mark’s presence in almost all of his daily routine, seeing him pop up everywhere and having his helping hand around whenever he needs.

Jaemin is halfway through making dinner, and he’s looking around for plates before he finds them on the top most shelf in a cabinet.

Jaemin has always prided himself with his height, so he deflates a little when he realizes he can’t reach them. He wonders why they’re so high up in the first place, since Mark is a bit shorter than him, and as far as he knows, Yukhei is the only one who can reach that high.

He’s about to turn around and ask Mark if he can ask Yukhei to grab the plates, but before he can, an arm comes up from behind him and grabs the four plates he was eyeing.

Jaemin turns around when the plates are set down onto the counter next to him, immediately coming face to face with Hendery’s charming smile.

It’s then that he also realizes that Hendery is taller than him. Not by much, but enough to be able to reach the plates. He suddenly understands why they’re so high up.

“Thanks,” he smiles back, making way to move the plates over near the stove, finishing up everything.

“No problem. Anything else I can help with?” Hendery asks, following Jaemin until he’s standing next to him, leaning his hip onto the counter.

“Oh… Um,” Jaemin looks around, thinking about it. As he scans over what else needs to be done in his head, Mark comes back into the kitchen with a sour look on his face, eyes directed at his roommate.

Jaemin knows better than to be foolish, even if Mark’s riled up reaction would have been worth a million dollars. He wouldn’t do that to Mark, no, not today.

“I think Mark hyung and I have it covered,” Jaemin assures nicely, keeping a smile on his face so that Hendery doesn’t get the wrong idea. He knows very well Hendery is simply teasing, the glint in his eyes is so extremely similar to the one Jeno had had in his eyes since summer had ended, but he knows better than to assume Mark knows this much too.

Besides, Mark didn’t look like he could see anything past the jealousy burning in his irises, so Jaemin makes quick work of dismissing Hendery before Mark can find it in himself to open his mouth and say something embarrassing, stupid, or maybe both.

“What was he doing here?” Mark grumbles once the other has left, and Jaemin internally rolls his eyes. “How convenient, when I was gone too.”

“Can you stop patronizing him?” Jaemin says as he clicks his tongue, bumping hips with Mark as he makes his way to grab a spoon. “He’s your friend and roommate, mind you.”

“My roommate-friend who won’t stop ogling my boyfriend!” Mark protests, aggressively spooning rice onto the four plates.

“Your very pretty boyfriend,” Jaemin corrects pointedly, turning off all the stoves and soaking dirty dishes in the sink. “What did you expect, with arm candy so enticing?”

Mark glares at him at that, but Jaemin can tell that there’s no malice behind the look. The simple fact makes him grin more obnoxiously, pecking Mark’s cheek and walking out of the kitchen with two plates in his hands.

“Let’s go eat, before all my hard work turns cold,” he calls over his shoulder, smug with the way Mark simply complies without correcting Jaemin on the fact that it was also his hard work.

Dinner is a simple affair consisting of a more normal and formal introduction of Jaemin to Mark’s friends, which leads to easy conversation and jokes when they realize how well they all get along.

Sure, Hendery pours him a glass of water before Mark can, and Yukhei laughs at Mark whenever he stares at Hendery for too long, but Jaemin thinks the atmosphere is light and fun, and a wonderful time altogether.

Yukhei and Hendery very kindly offer to clean up the table and do the dishes, and Jaemin has a feeling it has something to do with how they wanted to give them some alone time.

Jaemin appreciates it, and picks up his bag as he lets Mark drag him to his room, promptly shutting the door behind him.

Jaemin takes his time as he looks around Mark’s room, seeing it in person for the first time since he helped Mark move in all his boxes.

The walls are an off white colour, and his double bed is pushed into a corner of the room. Mark’s sheets and blanket are varying shades of navy blue, and his desk is rather messy. His dresser is clean though, holding framed photos and little things like his keys and sunglasses.

On his bedside table though, Jaemin notices a little frame next to his glasses, walking closer to it until he sees it’s a photo of him and Mark from the day of Jaemin’s graduation. Mark has an arm around his shoulders while Jaemin has his lips pressed to Mark’s cheek. Jaemin’s cap is askew on his head, and Mark’s ears are red, but Jaemin is terribly endeared by the photo.

When his eyes drift aside, he also sees the photostrip of pictures from the photobooth they went to in the summer, where the last photo is a rather aggressive one of them kissing.

Jaemin remembers his flush of embarrassment from being caught by their friends like it was yesterday, and feels his cheeks heat up again at the mere memory.

“You’re cute, huh?” Jaemin asks when he turns back to Mark, gesturing towards the photos on the bedside table.

He expects Mark to grin, or something along those lines, but he doesn’t expect him to blush red at his simple words.

“It’s like falling asleep next to you, y’know? It’s also nice that it’s the first thing I see when I wake up,” he explains in a mumble, moving Jaemin’s bag aside and avoiding the younger’s eyes.

Jaemin feels his heart melt.

“Oh, you really are cute,” he whispers, coming up to the other and wrapping his arms around Mark’s neck.

Jaemin kisses him softly, pushing him back slowly when he feels Mark’s hands settle on his waist. Eventually, the back of Mark’s knees hit the edge of the bed, effectively knocking him down as he sits up. Jaemin doesn’t hesitate as he climbs into the other boy’s lap, moving his hands to cup Mark’s jaw now, thumbing under his eyes and relishing in the way Mark squeezes his waist, mindful of the pump still lodged there.

“When do you change this?” Mark asks against his lips, giving Jaemin time to breathe before he answers.

“Before bed,” he says breathlessly, diving back into Mark’s lips with so much force that he pushes the older boy down onto his back. Jaemin crawls on top of him until he’s straddling Mark’s hips, shaky fingers brushing the hair out of his eyes.

“That’s more than enough time,” Mark mumbles, finally slipping his hands under Jaemin’s shirt.

The feeling of Mark’s fingers on the skin of his waist and stomach makes Jaemin shiver, weak in his arms as he drops a bit lower on top of Mark.

Mark’s hands are a little cold, but they electrify his senses and have his eyes shutting on their own accord.

“Hyung,” Jaemin whines into the other’s ear, pulling on his hair a little to get his attention. “Touch me.”

“I am touching you,” he answers from where he’s pressed, giving kisses to Jaemin’s neck. His lips travel lower and lower, until they’re past the collar of his shirt, sucking bruises and marks onto the skin. “You’re so beautiful Nana,” he sighs, sucking particularly harshly right after, emitting a higher whine from Jaemin.

“Please,” Jaemin whimpers, his hands finally making their way down and tugging on the hem of Mark’s shirt. “Take it off,”

With a final press of lips to Jaemin’s throat, Mark rolls them over until he’s hovering over Jaemin, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it away. Jaemin is adorably flushed under him, hair fanned out and neck a mess of bright pinks and reds.

With gentle fingers that are thrumming with excitement, Mark starts to unbutton the buttons on the younger’s shirt, trying hard not to get lost in Jaemin’s hand roaming over his chest and stomach.

“Hyung,” he breathes, arching up into Mark’s hands when all his buttons are open. “Please, Mark hyung,”

Mark moves down to give special attention to Jaemin’s chest, lips trailing hot and wet all over with kisses and bites which has Jaemin biting his lips to keep his sounds confined.

“What do you want?” Mark asks, lips moving back up to kiss his lips, biting on his lower lip and looking into his eyes, his lust filled, blown out, desperate eyes. “I’ll give you what you want.”

“T-Touch me, please just— anything. I missed you,” Jaemin pleads, guiding Mark’s hands back down his body. His legs are open on either side of Mark’s body, and Jaemin lets Mark’s hands fall right above the waistband of his pants. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you more,” Mark counters, running his thumb along Jaemin’s waistband. When he gets to one side, he pauses briefly when he sees Jaemin’s pump still attached to his pants. “I’m just going to take this off quickly,” he mutters, looking up at Jaemin for confirmation.

When Jaemin nods, Mark does as he always did, and gently removes the patches from Jaemin’s skin, lovingly putting them onto the bedside table, and caringly soothing a hand over the skin there once everything is gone.

Mark kisses him again, one of his hands between their bodies and unbuttoning Jaemin’s pants skillfully. It makes a strangled sound come out of Jaemin’s throat, Mark’s fingers over his arousal even through his underwear making his head dizzy.

It’s been too long, admittedly, since Mark’s hands, Mark’s lips, Mark’s body, has been touching his own, and it has Jaemin quickly aroused now that it’s happening. He’d be embarrassed if he wasn’t able to feel Mark’s own hard length pressing into his thigh.

Not too long later, Mark’s hand wraps around his cock as he pulls it out of its confinements, letting cool air hit the heated skin. Jaemin hisses, eyes trained on the way Mark’s thumb sweeps over his head, and or how pretty his fingers look wrapped around his length.

Then, teasingly slow, Mark drags his fist up and down.

It’s still enough to make Jaemin’s hips buck up, chasing the sudden, maddening pleasure. A heat like no other courses through his veins, seeping through his clothes and bedsheets as sweat starts to accumulate on his back.

“Baby,” Mark groans, his eyes also transfixed on the sight of what was happening between Jaemin’s legs. The younger’s breath hitches at the call, and his eyes snap up to meet Mark’s. “You’re so wet for me.”

Jaemin whines, because it’s not like Mark is wrong, but his cheeks still flush and his arm still comes over his face embarrassedly. He is wet, he feels the precome dribbling out his length and feels the way Mark swipes it off to use as lubrication, the sounds that comes from it.

“Ah, hyung,” Jaemin gasps when Mark runs his thumb under his head. His thighs shake a little, and his breathing picks up when Mark’s other hand trails up his chest. Mark rolls his nipple between his fingers, and it makes Jaemin choke around an escaping moan. “Hyung kiss me, kiss me please,”

So Mark does, hand picking its pace around his cock and hovering over him as he moulds their lips together. Tongues meet and swirl together as Mark tries to swallow all of Jaemin’s moans, which have gotten higher in volume and pitch. His hand moves over to his other nipple, and Jaemin arches into the hold once again. Distantly, Jaemin also feels spit start to run down and escape from the corner of his mouth, so he’s terribly unbothered and clouded by the pleasure Mark is giving him to care.

“My pretty baby,” Mark whispers in his ear, tongue poking out to run over his earlobe before biting down on it. “Are you gonna come for hyung? Show me baby, show me how much you missed me,”

Jaemin cries out into Mark’s mouth when he flicks his wrist, seizing up momentarily and then shaking through his orgasm as it rips through his body. His hands tremble where they’re holding Mark’s sides, and his lips can’t kiss back properly with how he gasps through the aftershocks when Mark doesn’t remove his hand.

His stomach and chest are painted white with his cum, and Mark’s hand is coated in some ribbons as well. Before the latter can make any move to get up though, Jaemin grabs his hand and brings it up to his mouth, locking eyes with Mark as he licks and sucks his fingers clean.

He can hear Mark’s breathing pick up at the sight, and it makes him only more eager as he enthusiastically cleans up the rest of his fingers. When he’s done, he lets go with a pop, still panting heavily and looking at Mark through hooded eyes.

“Can I suck you, hyung?” Jaemin asks breathlessly, already trailing his hand down to where Mark rests, hard and heavy in his own pants. He squeezes, just to convince him a bit more.

“Fuck,” he inhales sharply, looking down at Jaemin with lust pooling out of his eyes. “Yeah Jaeminnie, fuck.”

Eager after the green light, Jaemin wastes no time in reaching for Mark’s jeans and unbuckling his belt, tossing the material onto the floor without minding the loud ‘thump’ noise that came from it. He unbuttons Mark’s jeans after, salivating when he pulls them down along with his underwear.

Overwhelmed from seeing Mark up close after so long, Jaemin reaches a tentative tongue out to lap at the tip of Mark’s cock first, letting the salty taste rest on his tongue as he gets accustomed to Mark’s cock all over again.

Mark shifts only a little, just until he was hovering over Jaemin’s chest with his knees on either side of his head, holding his own length steady against Jaemin’s mouth.

“Just like that baby,” Mark grunts, encouraging Jaemin with a hand running through his hair, breath stuttering when the younger closes his eyes. His eyelashes fan out along his cheeks, and it has Mark subconsciously pushing more of himself into Jaemin’s mouth. “Shit!”

Jaemin’s lips part open to accommodate Mark immediately, regulating his breathing as his tongue swirls around his head. When Mark looks close enough, he sees the indent of his cock against Jaemin’s cheek, and it makes him want to ram himself down Jaemin’s throat.

He doesn’t though, and just lets Jaemin take his time while enjoying the wet warmth of his mouth.

Jaemin’s hand come to Mark’s thighs, pulling him closer and effectively conveying his message to him.

Mark is still slow at first, sliding the rest of his length into Jaemin’s mouth, but he doesn’t stop until he’s all the sheathed. The tightness of Jaemin’s throat makes his head dizzy, but it’s intoxicating nonetheless.

When Jaemin looks up Mark, his eyes are wide and glassy, and it makes his breathing come out heavier than it already was.

“Fuck baby, you’re really so precious,” Mark mutters, a hand coming down to thumb away the tear that escapes Jaemin’s eye. “Think you can take me?”

Jaemin nods eagerly, relaxing his throat even more and drawing out a guttural moan from Mark above him. Jaemin thinks he looks stunning like this, with his head thrown back and his Adam’s apple bobbing with every groan he tries to suppress.

He doesn’t want Mark to suppress them though, which is why he moves his head on his own, hallowing his cheeks and taking Mark in as deep as he can.

His actions are successful in making Mark moan, only egging him on as he continues. Mark pulses in his mouth, and it doesn’t take long before the older boy’s hips are moving on their own, thrusting into Jaemin’s mouth shallowly.

“I’ve wanted you,” Mark shudders, hips picking up their pace as he tightens his grip in Jaemin’s hair. “I’ve wanted you every single day, shit— you know nothing compares to you, angel, you’re like a dream,” he sighs out, relishing in the flush on Jaemin’s cheeks. Whether it’s from his words or the limited airflow, he’s not sure. He’s just glad it’s there.

Jaemin moans around Mark at the words, choking when Mark’s hips come flush against his mouth. He looks up at the older boy with tears in his eyes, and it makes Mark groan before throwing his head back, and next thing Jaemin knows, he’s coming down his throat.

It’s a struggle to swallow everything down, he admits, but he does so without complaint. Even as some dribbles out the corner of his mouth.

Mark is quick to lean down and lick it away though, kissing Jaemin right after and tasting himself in the younger’s mouth. Jaemin can’t kiss back all too well, mouth slack and jaw aching.

“My dick is cold,” Jaemin manages to whisper out, grinning when Mark laughs out loud. “Can we change into pyjamas?”

“Anything you’d like,” Mark huffs, kissing his cheek twice before getting off of him. He helps Jaemin up too, who then takes his shirt and pants off properly. Mark tosses him his backpack, but he doesn’t reach for it.

It makes the other raise an inquisitive eyebrow.

“Who do you take me for, wearing my own clothes in your room?” He asks scratchily, voice still thoroughly rough after Mark had his way with him.

Mark rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling as he throws Jaemin a t-shirt, so Jaemin knows he’s won. He changes quickly, as does Mark into a t-shirt and shorts, before he climbs back into bed behind Jaemin.

The younger boy fishes his patches out of his bag, fiddling with them while biting the hem of Mark’s shirt so that it’d stay up while he worked.

“Let me do it,” Mark suddenly says, and Jaemin feels the bed shift behind him as he moves. He takes the patches from Jaemin’s hands, as well as the discarded pump from the bedside table.

“Are you sure you even remember how?” Jaemin teases, earning a simple scoff from Mark. By the way his fingers are working though, Jaemin knows he hadn’t forgotten a single thing about the process.

“Nine years don’t get flushed down the drain that easily,” Mark hums, gentle and slow with deft fingers as he sets everything back up for Jaemin. When he’s done, he bends down to kiss the skin of his waist a few times, and Jaemin blushes heavily above him. “All done there, angel.”

Jaemin kisses Mark softly when his mouth comes back into view, a hand slipping around his waist warmly.

“Jaemin-ah,” Mark breathes out after a while, pulling away with a hand on the younger’s cheek. When Jaemin raises an eyebrow, Mark smiles. “I still have to give you your gift.”

At the mention, Jaemin remembers the gift he bought for Mark as well. At the same time that Mark gets up to fetch his box, Jaemin gets up to get his own from his pocket.

When they both it back at the same time, Mark raises an eyebrow.

“What’s in your hand?” He asks suspiciously, handing Jaemin his box, like the younger didn’t already know what was in it.

“A secret,” Jaemin hums, slowly opening the necklace box with care. When his eyes land on the dragon pendant again, he can’t fight the grin which makes its way onto his lips. “It’s so pretty.”

“Just like you,” Mark says without skipping a beat, to which Jaemin rolls his eyes at fondly.

“Put it on for me?” Jaemin asks shyly, holding the pendant out to Mark. The latter takes it happily, and Jaemin turns around just in time for Mark to delicately lay the necklace along his neck. It doesn’t take long for Mark to clasp the ends, resting his chin onto Jaemin’s shoulder right after. Through his back, Jaemin can feel the pounding of Mark’s heart.

“Jaemin-ah,” Mark mumbles again, right against his ear. Jaemin hums in response, one hand reaching behind him to stroke through Mark’s hair. “I love you.”

Jaemin’s hand freezes in Mark’s hair, and his mind blanks for a few seconds.

“You l-love me?” Jaemin asks as he turns back around to look at Mark’s face. The latter has a smile that could rival the sun on his face, and it makes Jaemin wonder if he could light up the world.

“I love you,” Mark confirms, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his lips. “More than you know.”

And then, Jaemin has a grin of his own splitting into his face.

“I love you too,” he breathes out, looping his arms around Mark’s neck and tipping them both back. “I love you hyung,” he giggles, pressing messy kisses anywhere he can reach onto Mark’s face. “I love you—”

Mark cuts him off with a more passionate kiss, something which melts into something more adoring with the way their new confession hangs in their air between them.

It’s then, that Jaemin remembers what he’s holding in his hand.

“Give me your hand,” Jaemin whispers against Mark’s lips, endeared when Mark does so without thinking twice. Jaemin takes the other’s hand delicately in his own, sliding the ring onto his thumb in one swift motion. “Now we’re married.” Jaemin jokingly whispers, barely able to keep the smile out of his voice.

Mark barks out a laugh at Jaemin’s words, looking down at the ring which rests, perfectly fitting, on his thumb. He appreciates the design, and fawns internally when he makes it out to be a dragon, like the one hanging off of Jaemin’s neck.

“When did you get this?” Mark asks, looking back into Jaemin’s eyes with what can only be described as stars in his eyes.

“The antique store,” he answers, intertwining their fingers and pressing a kiss to Mark’s ring. “That’s Ladon, that’s Jaemin, right there, okay? So wherever you go, I’m protecting you, your garden,” he explains shyly, blushing more when he visibly sees Mark’s eyes soften.

“You’re precious,” Mark mumbles, leaning in for another kiss which steals Jaemin’s breath away. “My dragon.”

Jaemin smiles, and as disgusting as his head tells him it is, he whispers against Mark’s lips,

“My flower,”

And he knows now, sliding into bed with Mark, tucked away against the body he’s missed more than he can put into words, that he’s always going to protect his flower.

Mark presses a kiss to Jaemin’s head as they let drowsiness get to them, their legs tangled under the blanket and the moonlight shining through Mark’s window. Mark’s arm is a sturdy weight thrown over his waist, and his heartbeat is in tandem with his.

When Jaemin closes his eyes, he dreams of a dragon who spends the whole of his life, keeping their garden safe.

Ladon never lets his garden of golden light be in danger.

So Jaemin doesn’t know why he wouldn’t do the same.


End file.
